As I prepared for the Race, I prayed for this to be a year of enormous growth in my relationship with Christ, and I prayed for Him to shape me into a stronger woman of God. During the Race I have fervently prayed for Him to strip away all parts of me that were not a reflection of Him and to replace it with His glory.
In response to these prayers, the Lord has revealed to me a word or theme for each month to press in and grow with Him in.
In January He asked me to focus on choosing joy in all things. Throughout February He spoke to me about what it meant to be in an intimate relationship with Him. During the month of March, He showed me how to let go of the people and things I seek comfort in, and in turn seek comfort in Him.
April it took me a little longer to see what He wanted to show me and it began to frustrate me.
But when He spoke to me it was probably one of the most altering perspective changes I have ever had.
He told me Unconditional Love.
In Christian community love is a topic we often talk about. Jesus exemplified unconditional love for us; He loved us as the Father has loved Him and He was willing to leave His throne to pay our debt in order for us to be seen as righteous and Holy. How incredible is it that we are so unconditionally loved that our Father would send His perfect son to be a sacrifice for our sin and to set us free.
John 15:9 “I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love.”
Long before the Race was on my radar I had been praying to have a heart that reflected the love of Jesus. During April He began showing me the only thing stopping me from having His heart within me is living in conditional love— the conditions I place on loving others, conditions I place on others loving me, and the conditions I place of God’s love for me.
I am learning that loving without conditions means loving people recklessly, when it isn’t always easy and it’s sometimes scary. It means letting people in to love you exactly where you are at. It’s about knowing that God sees all of you and is filled with delight and unconditional love for you.
God calls us to love each other, plain and simple.
1 John 3:16 “We know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us. So we ought to give up our lives for our brothers and sisters.”
Ultimately the most important transformation has to be done in my heart in order to look more like Christ.
As I continue to pray in to learning more about meeting people exactly where they are at, and how to love with the heart of Christ, I challenge you to join me in this and consider how we all can love others better.
PRAISE REPORT!
I am so excited to tell you that I am now FULLY FUNDED! Thank you to everyone who has supported me on this journey and giving me the opportunity to spend this year serving the Lord in 11 countries. I am extremely grateful. Love you all!!! God is so good.
